Sprocket-chain



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH O. HAUGER, OF SI-IEPHERDSTOWVN, WEST VIRGINIA.

SPROCKET-CHAIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 576,115, datedFebruary 2, 1897.

R Application filed June 10, 1896. Serial No. 594,995. (No model.)

1'0 all whom it may COILC'BI'IL:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH O. HAUGER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Shepherdstown, in the county of J eiferson andState of West Virginia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Sprocket-Chains; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, formingapart of thisspecification, in which- Figure 1 shows side views of my improved pivotformed in two pieces or parts, and Fig. 1 shows end views of the same.Fig. 2 is an elevation, partlyin section, of a portion of thesprocket-chain assembled, comprising two adjacent links. Fig. 3 is aninside View of the links A and D, showing the apertures, the outsidelink A and the pivots being removed. Fig. 4 illustrates a modificationof the c0mpound pivot in end views of the elements, where the divisionalsurface is curved instead of plane.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures.

A A are the side links.

0 is the wearing or contact portion of the pivot. O is the rivetingportion of the same, andD is one of the intermediate or auxiliary links.

0 c are the apertures formed in the side links for the reception of theriveting portion 0 of the pivot.

d d are the apertures formed in the auxiliary link D for the receptionof the entire pivot C 0'.

My invention relates to improvements in sprocket-chains, particularlythat species of chain now extensively used on bicycles and similarvehicles propelled by human power. These chains are subjected to greatstrain and wear by reason of the severe usage to which they aresubjected, and being required to be of extreme lightness they mustnecessarily be made in the most perfect manner consistent withreasonable cost. The parts most exposed to wear are the auxiliary linksD, both where they encounter the sprocketwheels and in the parts whichturn on the fect cylinder.

pivots. The pivots also are liable to great friction and wear on theturning surfaces. Both the auxiliary links and the pivots accordinglyhave been made very hard on the wearing-surfaces to meet these demands,but a difficulty arises in the case of the pivots, which require to beriveted into the side links, but which riveting cannot be accomplishedin an integral pivot after the whole has been hardened, the hardeningprocess rendering the tenons brittle and incapable of being upset orheaded down in the process of riveting. My improvement is designed toremedy this difficulty without material increase of cost. To this end Imake the pivots in two partsO O, as illustrated in the several figuresof the drawings. The part 0, which takes the wear, is made cylindricalon its exterior surface where the same encounters the surface of thelink-aperture d and is made to fit the same. The part 0 is also madecylindrical on the portion of the surface which encounters the saidlink-aperture and also fits the same. The two parts O 0 when united ontheir divided surfaces form togethera per- The dividing-surfaces, whichaccuratelyfit each other, may be either plane or curved, and they neednot exactly subdivide the cylinder of the pivot, it only being essentialthat they fit each other so that there shall be no rocking motion orother movement between the parts to create friction or lost motion, thewhole friction and wear being designed to be on the outer or cylindricalsurfaces, principally 011 that of the piece 0 p which is made hard forthe purpose, either by case-hardening or by tempering, if the piece isof steel, or it may be made of any other suitable hard substance capableof enduring great frictional wear without injury,

such as phosphor-bronze, agate, jade,-&c.

The said part 0 is out of a length exactly to fit the intended spacebetween the side links A A.

The part 0 is the rivet portion of the pivot. This is designed to holdthe side links together and to take the strain, but is not intended tobe subjected to a great amount of wear, being shielded by the pivotportion 0, which is placed on the inside for that purpose, where thegreatest amount of wear occurs.

The rivet-pieces C are made of any material or metal suitable forrivets, as good-rolled, wrought, or drawn iron, untempered steel,hard-rolled or drawn brass, 850. They are preferably out from rods ofthe same of the requisite cross-sectional form, and are made long enoughto reach the entire distance from outside to outside of the links A Awhen in place, with sufficient surplus to afford material for upsetting,heading-down, or riveting in the usual manner. The apertures c c in thesidelinks A A are made of cross-sectional form similar to that of therivets, or of any desired form not circular, the non-circular form beingrelied on to obviate the tendency of the pivot to turn under the stressof friction.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. Apivot or pintle for sprocket-chains formed in two parts, accuratelyfitted to each other on a longitudinal dividing-section, the externalsurfaces being cylindrical, one portion being hard on its cylindricalsurface to resist wear, and the other portion being of softer materialcapable of being upset, headed or riveted, projecting beyond the formerportion at both ends to form rivet ends, substantially as specified.

2. In a pivot for sprocket-chains, the combination of a semicylinder ofhard material on its cylindrical surface, and a semicylin drical rivetof material capable of being upset, headed or riveted on itsextremities, which project beyond the ends of the hardened portion asuitable distance for riveting when assembled in a chain, the saidscmicylindrical portions when assembled forming an entire cylinder,completely filling the cylindrical aperture they are designed to occupy,all substantially as specified.

3. A sprocket-chain comprising side links A A, with non-circularperforations c c, auxiliary links D with hard wearing-surfaces, andpivots O C composed of two parts accurately fitted together on alongitudinal dividing-section, cylindrical on their external surfaces,one portion being hard on its cylindrical surface to resist wear, andthe other portion being of softer material capable of being upset,headed or riveted, projecting beyond the former portion and secured inthe side links A A to hold the parts firmly together, substantially asspecified.

4. In a sprocket-chain, the combination of side links A A withnon-circular perforations c c, auxiliary'links D with hardwearing-surfaces, semicylindrical pivot portions 0, hard upon theirexternal surfaces, semicylindrical rivet portions 0 fitted to the saidpivot portions on their flat surf aces, projecting beyond the latter toform rivet ends, said rivet ends securely fastened in the perforationsof the side links AA to hold the parts securely together and preventrotation, and located extern ally to the pivot portions With relation tothe sprocket-tooth spaces, whereby the strain is borne by the said rivetportions, and the wear by the said pivot portions, substantially asspecified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH C. HAUGER. "\Vitn esses:

CHAS. KRUGER, J OI-IN KRUGER.

